Thursday, May 31, 2012

Let's Crowd the Colleges More, Making Young People Pay While Seniors Don't?

Hat tip to Sarah Turner, Professor of Education and Economics at University of Virginia (via friend Ragan Roberts). In Turner's words:

"In a public higher education system facing substantial crowding, why would a state increase the subsidy to the population with the fewest years to recoup an investment in higher education?"

Agreed. I can think of no public policy justification for making college free for elders while making young people pay. It's an investment for the youngest, and it's largely consumption for the older students.